Knauf Group through its subsidiaries might have manufactured and sold defective drywall that emits an unpleasant rotten egg odor and might cause serious risk of bodily injury with sustained consumer exposure.

This is an ongoing investigation and potential class action lawsuit against Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf Group.

Home owners across the country are reporting unpleasant odors and electrical problems from defective drywall made in China. Many are worried that the defective drywall could also pose heath risks.

Drywall is the board used to make interior walls. Owners of new homes have reported a rotten egg smell – several have had to leave their homes because the smell was so bad. In addition, homeowners report corrosion to their air-conditioner coils, computer wiring, metal picture frames, and many are worried that the fumes could cause health problems from chronic exposure.

The drywall responsible for these problems was imported from China during the real estate boom from 2004 - 2006. The defective drywall arrived at nearly two dozen ports around the country with seven of them in Florida, and the others include New York, Texas, New Orleans and California. Usually drywall comes from within the U.S., however due to a shortage during the construction boom, many builders imported drywall from China. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf, manufactured the drywall.

According to reports, homes built in southwest Florida by Lennar and Taylor Morrison are at the center of many of these complaints, although it is suspected that other builders may have also used the defective drywall. A test conducted by Environ International on some of the Lennar homes last year found three gases – carbon disulfide, carbonyl sulfide and dimethyl sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide, a particularly dangerous compound that causes the rotten egg smell, was not found in Environ’s air tests, but it was found in previous testing that the company conducted on the drywall itself.

Signs your home may have the defective Chinese drywall:

Unpleasant odor emitting from walls resembling rotten eggs
Wiring that has corroded and/or turned black
Piping that has turned black or needs replacing
Silver jewelry that has turned black
Air-conditioning system components that needs replacing
Electrical problems
Respiratory discomfort and other problems
Eye irritations, nose bleeds and headaches

This broad investigation and potential class action seeks to hold Knuaf and certain home builders resonsible for removing and replacing defective drywall.